Years ago, I fell asleep at the wheel. I totaled my car. With my family in it. No one was injured. I thank God every time I think about that night.
It should not have happened. I will do everything in my power to ensure it never happens again.
My son and I are driving across the country this week. He is one of the photographers for the Rock and Worship Roadshow.
He and I have been putting in some very strange, very long hours. We left Cedar Rapids, Iowa at 2 am this morning.
Since that day, years ago, I have never allowed myself to grow sleepy at the wheel.
To keep hyper, and awake… I do the usual. I try to get a good night’s sleep the night before (not possible lately). I also drink coffee. But, there is another tip I use these days.
At home, my schedule does not allow me to spend much time listening to music. So, out on the road, when there is not much to do, I catch up. I use Pandora. Pandora figures out the style of music you like and randomly throws similar music your way.
You never really know what song is coming next. This keeps things unpredictable. It’s like opening auditory Christmas gifts.
Of course, you can choose your style, and that is what Pandora will serve. If I start to get sleepy, I make sure I choose upbeat music. This morning, Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, ZZ Top and Zedd kept me alive. This song just makes me happy:
https://youtu.be/IHN1zANBkzo
Next time you are out on the road if you need something to wake you up, go with Pandora.
By the way, sometimes I just need some upbeat music. Sometimes I am too tired to go on. When I reach this point, we pull over and sleep. If you are falling asleep, get off the road.
Have a happy Saturday!
Dwane Thomas
